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News in brief: getting 'Fed-ready'; R&D

Published
Nov. 20 2015 09:46 AM
By
Letitia Booty

News in brief

Global investors should ensure they are Fed-ready

Global investors should ensure they are ‘Fed-ready’ before mid-December, according to the CEO and founder of financial advisory firm, deVere, Nigel Green. Green is speaking out as it looks increasingly certain that the US Federal Reserve will hike interest rates for the first time in nine years in December.

Stronger than expected US employment data in October fuelled expectation that a move from near-zero rates will take place next month. The world's largest economy added more than a quarter of a million jobs in October.

Mr Green observes: “The probability of a 2015 rate hike has been the source of much rumour and speculation for more than a year. But most of that is now over, thanks to the recent robust job numbers and a reported 2.5 per cent increase in wage growth in the previous 12 months. We’re as confident as we can be that the Fed will tighten policy on 17 December.”

UK businesses are being invited to partner with Chinese companies on R&D projects that meet challenges in energy, healthcare, urbanisation and agri-food.

Innovate UK, Research Councils UK and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) for the People’s Republic of China are to invest up to £16 million in collaborative research and development projects that propose commercial solutions to critical challenges affecting socio-economic growth and the development of China.